Cooling bed



G. L. FlSK COOLING BED April 18, 1933.

Filed Dec. 17, 1929 3 sheets-Sheet l G. L. FISK COOLING BED April 18, 1933.-

Filed Dec. 17, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a: max M WM awn G. L. Fl'sK COOLING BED April 18, 1933.

Filed Dec. 17, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV LEONARD FISK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO META.

MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SY LVANIA COOLING BED Application filed December 17, 1929. Serial No. 414,752.

The present invention relates to cooling beds for hot metal bars and particularly to cooling beds designed and constructed to handle rolled bars'of rectangular cross section, such as are used in the manufacture of springs, when cut into suitable lengths.

By means of a cooling bed constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention the highly heated elongated bars of rectangular cross section, the product of a rolling mill producing spring flats or the like, which bars are incapable of standing on edge without lateral support, are mechanically assembled into a pack, in which pack each remains while slowly and uniformly cooling to an approximately predetermined temperature, and from which pack the cooled and perfectly annealed bars are ultimately automatically discharged. The pack comprises a plurality of bars arranged in parallelism and standing on edge, each bar being supported by an adjacent bar, the pack being maintained of substantially uniform thickness and each bar passing progressively therethrough from one side to the other, hot bars being periodically added to one side and cooled bars periodically discharged from the other. The invention contemplates a novel means for and method of initially formingthe pack, novel means for adjusting the bed for the accommodation of bars of different cross sectional shapes and dimensions, and numerous other features of importance, all of which will be hereinafter pointed out and fully described.

The drawings illustrate a form of the invention which is practical and eflicient, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes can be made in details Without departing from the principles of the invention or in t e scope of the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto. Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a partial plan view;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing certain parts of the mechanism in different positions;

Figs. 4 to 11 are rather diagrammatic views illustrating different stages in the formation of the pack.

The apparatus illustrated consists of a primary section A on which the hot bars received from the rolling mill (not shown) are handled to form a pack, and a secondary section B to which the bars discharged from the pack are successively delivered and across which they are moved to a run out mechanism by means of which they are tirlgnsferred to fabricating machines or the The primary section A includes a run-in table composed of aprons 10 and rollers 11, the latter being positively rotated by suitable known means (not shown) to move the bars endwise as they come from the rolling mill into proper position for broadside movement on to the cooling bed. When a bar reaches this position, it is shoved or kicked off the run-in table by kick-off arms 12. These arms are pivoted to lever arms 13 fast on a shaft 14 which is adapted to be oscillated by known mechanism.

Extending alongside the run-in table is a downwardly inclined table comprising two sections, a skid section 15 down which the bars slide by gravity and a second section 16 of gentle slope across which the bars are adapted to be positively propelled in pack formation as hereinafter described. As shown, this inclined table is formed of castings having smooth continuous upper surfaces, but obviously it might be formed of suitably spaced skid bars. Between the sections 15 and 16 of the table is a rectangular depression, or pocket, 17 adapted to receive a plurality of bars.

The inclined table has a number of parallel slots 18 which intersect the pocket 17 and are disposed at right angles thereto, and operating in each slot is a su porting arm 19 which is adjustably mounte so that it can be rotated about a pivot and can also be shifted longitudinally, for a purpose hereinafter explained. To provide for these adJustments, the arms 19 are mounted at their rear ends on eccentrics 20 carried by a shaft 21 and at their front ends they are pivoted to the upper ends of links 22, the lower ends of which are pivoted to the cranks of a shaft 23. By rotating shaft 23 the arms can be raised from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and then by rotating the eccentric shaft 21 the arms can be shifted longitudinally to the position shown in Fig. 7.

Rocking skids 24 operate through slots 25 formed in the lower marginal portion of table section 15 and in the rear wall of pocket 17, and these skids are adapted to be projected over the pocket 17, as shown in Fig. 2, or to be retracted therefrom, as shown in Fig. 3. These skids are secured to a shaft 24' rigid with which is a depending arm 26 connected by a link 27 to suitable operating mechanism, not shown. The function of the rocking skids is to make certain that bars havin a substantially smaller width than i the width of pocket 17 will be received in the latter in a flatwise position, the skids being adjusted to vary the effective width of the pocket opening in accordance with the width of the bars.

Also associated with the primary section A of the cooling bed are a number of pusher bars 29 which are adapted to be reciprocated, through grooves formed in the lower marginal portion of table section 15, from the normal position shown iIrFigs. 2 and 3 to the position shown in Fig. 9, or to the extreme osition shown in dotted lines P in Fig. 3.

he forward ends of these pusher bars are supported in the grooves 30 and in grooves 30 formed in the table section 16, and their rear ends are pivoted to upstanding arms 31 secured to a shaft 32 which may be oscillated by any suitable mechanism (not shown).

The secondary section B of the cooling bed comprises a plurality of pairs of shuflle bars 33 and 34 and a run-out table composed of aprons 35 and rollers 36. The scufile bars are constructed and operated in a well known.

manner. The bars of each pair are supported at their rear ends respectively on two eccentrics carried by a shaft 37 and their forward ends are freely slidable on rollers mounted on arms 38 which are secured to a revoluble shaft 39. The two eccentrics carrying the rear ends of the bars are angularly displaced from each other 180, so that when the shaft 37 is rotating the bars move in opposite directions with a circular motion having vertical and horizontal components, whereby the rolled bars delivered broadside on to the shuffie bars are carried by the latter alternately in a step by step movement. This movement of the shuflle bars, when they are raised as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, carries the rolled bars to the proper position over rollers 36; the shuflle bars are then lowered to the position shown in full lines, Figs. 2 and 3, whereupon the rolled bars will be deposited on rollers 36 to be conveyed to suitable'fabricating mechanism.

The cooling bed above described is adapted to carry out a continuous process of ack annealing in the following manner: rior to the commencement of the process, the mechanism is adjusted so that the'pusher bars 29 are retracted to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3; the arms 19 are raised to a position about midway between their extreme upper and lower positions, as indicated in Fi 4, with the eccentrics 20 in the osition s own in Figs. 2 to 6; andthe roc ing skids 24 are projected over the pocket 17 as required by the width of the bars to be formed into a pack. When the first bar from the mill has reached the proper position on the run-in table, the kick-off arms 12 are operated to shove it laterally onto the skid section 15 and it will slide down this section and come to rest flatwise in pocket 17, being supported therein by arms 19 (see Fig. 4). Since the rocking skids 24 are adjusted to make the effective opening of the pocket only slightly wider than the width of the bar there will be no likelihood that the latter will be deposited on the arms 19 in other than a flatwise position. The shaft 23 will next be turned by manual control or by automatic means through an angle of a few degrees to lower arms 19, so that the bar car ried thereby will be lowered through a distance about equal to its thickness. The next bar discharged onto the skid section will in a like manner be deposited in the pocket, coming to rest on top of the first bar and in registry therewith. These operations will be repeated with each successive bar, until a stack 40 of required height has been built in the pocket 17.

Next the shaft 23 is turned to the position shown in Fi 3, to raise the arms 19 to the level of tab e section 16. This raises the stack 40 out of the slot and effectively closes the slot to the further entry of bars (see Fig. 6). The eccentric shaft 21 is now turned through an angle of 180 or less, causing the supporting arms 19 to be shifted longitudinally to the position shown in Fig. 7 and bringing the stack 40 close to the lower end of skid section 15, in proper position to act as a stop for the next bar. The next bar will therefore be brought to rest in the position shown in Fig. 8, that is, in an inclined position with its lower edge abutting the stack 40. Next shaft 32 is turned through a small angle to move the usher bars 29 from the position shown in i s. 2 and 8 to the osition shown in Fig. 9, t ereby turning the inclined bar to a osition flush against the stack 40 and moving the bar and stack a slight distance down the inclined table section 16. For each successive bar sliding down skid section 15 the pusher bars 29 will be operated through the same stroke to place the bar on edge and to move the group of previously deposited bars a step along table section 16.

- the addition of a few more bars to the Eventually a pack of bars standing on edge will be formed as shown in Fig. 10, and oil pac the first formed abutment stack 40 will fall from the edge of table section 16 on to the shuflle bars 33 and 34 and will be conveyed as hereinbefore described.

It is to be observed that the stack 40 functions merely as a temporary abutment for the pack standing on edge and is therefore formed only in the initial stage of the process. When the pack standin on edge has been deprived of the support 0 the abutment stack, a few of the bars at the discharge end of the pack will ti over and form a sufficient abutment for t e remainder of the pack (see Fig. 11). As bars are added to the ack at the one end bars will be discharged rom the other end on to the shufile bars, at substantially the same rate, so that the number of bars in the formed pack will remain substantially constant. The process is therefore a continuous one. Each bar will change its position in the pack progressively with a step by step movement, travelling gradually along the inclined table section 16 and being slowly cooled with bars on either side to render gradual and uniform its rate of cooling. Each bar being subjected to exactly the same conditions, all the bars will be rendered uniform as to temper and form. When it is desired to discontinue the pack annealing process, the pack of bars on table section 16 are bodily removed from said section and deposited on the shufile bars. This is accomplished by giving the pusher bars 29 a long stroke, by turning shaft 32 through a suificient angle to move said bars to the extreme position shown in dotted lines on Fig. 3.

Rectangular bars of square and other cross sections, which do not require lateral support can also be pack annealed on the cool ing bed above described. Since it is unnecessary to form an abutment stack when operating on suchbars, the supporting arms 19 will be maintained in the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein they close the pocket 17 to the entry of bars. Otherwise the operations will be the same as described with reference to the pack annealing of spring flats.

Obviously the cooling bed described can be used for the cooling of bars singly as well as in pack formation. However, to adapt it for. such use there should be provided a cooling bed section between the table section 16 and the shuille bars, the latter, of course, being separated from the section 16 to accommodate such a cooling bed section.

Any common form of cooling bed section can be used for this purpose, such for example, as that shown in U. S. patent to Hellstrom No. 816,323. The bars would be discharged from this cooling bed section on to the shuflle bars where they would be handled in the manner heretofore described. The delivery of rolled bars to the bed section for cooling in spaced formation may be carried out in the following manners A round kicked from the run-in table will slide down the skid section 15 into the pocket 1? and will be lifted out of said pocket by raising arms 19, whereupon it will roll by gravity down the section-16 and on to the bed section for cooling in spaced formation. By maintaining the arms 19 in their upper position. the round can, if desired, be caused to roll uninterruptedly down the skid section 15 and table section 16. In the case of.

a small round which does not readily roll on the gentle slope of section 16, it may be stopped in pocket 17, then raised to the level of section 1.6 and pushed over this section by operating pusher bars 29. Bars of square or irregular sections may be stopped in pocket 17, then raised to the level of section 16 and pushed over this section by the pusher bars.

Now having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having an elongated depressed portion, or pocket between said sections for the reception and temporary storage of a plurality of bars sliding successively down said skid section,.a plurality of arms extending across said pocket adapted to support bars therein, means for raising and lowering said arms, and pusher bars adapted to propel bars over said table section. V

2. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having an elongated depressed portion, or pocket, between said sections adapted to receive bars sliding down said skid section, adjustable skids adapted to be projected over said pocket to vary the effective opening thereof in accordance with the width of the bars, and means independent of the table section for raising bars out of said pocket to the level of said table section.

3. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having an elongated depressed portion, or pocket, between said sections adapted to receive bars from said skid section, rockable' skids adapted to be projected over said pocket to adjust the effective opening thereof, means independent of the table section for raising bars out of said pocket to the level of said table section, and means forpushing bars over said table section.

4. In combination with the run-in table from a rolling mill, a cooling bed comprising a table having a relatively steep section down which the hot bars discharged broad side from the run-in table slide by gravity and having a section of gentle slope-and having an elongated depressed portion, or

pocket, between said sections adapted to receive and temporarily store a plurality of bars sliding successively thereinto from said steep section, a plurality of spaced arms extending across said ocket adapted to su port bars therein, sai arms being indepen ent of said table section, means for raising and lowering said arms, means to propel bars over said section of gentle slope, and means to convey the bars from said last mentioned section to suitable fabricating mechanism.

5. In combination with the run-in table from a rolling mil1,a cooling bed comprising a table having a relatively steep section down which the hot bars discharged broadside from the run-in table slide by gravity and having a section of gentle slope and havin a depressed portion, or pocket, between sai sections, supporting arm's extending across said pocket, means for lowering said arms to permit the accumulation in said pocket of a stack of bars lying on their sides and for raising said arms to bring said stack to the level of saidsection of gentle slope, and pusher bars for turning succeeding bars to an edgewise position and moving said bars and pack step by step along said section of gentle slope.

6. A cooling bed for pack annealing flat bars comprising a skid section down which hot bars are adapted to slide broadside from the run-in table from a rolling mill and a table section along which the bars are progressively moved in a pack, said bed havin a depressed portion, or pocket, between 'sai sections adapted to receive bars from said skid section and to accumulate a stack of bars lying on their sides, means to close said pocket to the further entry of bars and to raise said stack to the level of said table section to act as an abutment to succeeding bars, and intermittently operating means to turn succeeding bars to an ed ewise position and to move said bars and pac step by step along said table section. is

7. A cooling bed for pack annealing flat bars comprising a skid section down which hot bars are adapted to slide broadside from the run-in table from a rolling mill and a table section along which bars are progressively moved in pack formation, said bed having a depressed portion, or pocket, between said sections adapted to receive bars from said skid section and to accumulate a stack of bars lying on their sides, rocking skids adapted to be projected from the lower edge of said skid section partially over said pocket to vary the o emn thereof in accordance with the wi th 0 the bars, a plurality of spaced arms extending across said pocket adapted to support said stack, means for raising said arms to bring the stack to the level of said table section, means for shifting said arms longitudinally to brin said stack close to the lower end of said skid stac portion, or pocket, means for discharging bars from the run-in table from a rolling mill into said pocket to form a stack of bars there in 1 ing on their sides, means to raise said k to the level of said. table and close said pocket to the further entry of bars, and means to turn succeeding bars to an edgewise position and move said bars and stack step by step along said table section, said stack acting as a temporary lateral support for the bars standing on edge.

9. In combination with a cooling bed having an elongated pocket adapted to receive bars of rectangular cross section from therun-in table from a rolling mill and accumulate a stack of bars lying on their sides, a plurality of spaced arms extending across said pocket, means for raising and lowering said arms about a pivot and means for adjusting the pivotal axis of said arms so that they may be shifted longitudinally.

10.' In combination with a cooling bed having an elongated pocket adapted to receive bars of rectangular cross section from the run-in table of a rolling mill and accumulate a stack of bars lying on their sides,

means for adjusting the opening of said pocket in accordance with the width of the bars, a plurality of spaced arms extending across said pocket and adapted to engage and support a pack of bars, means for raising and lowering said arms about a p lvot, and means for adjusting the pivotal axis of said arms.

11. In combination with a cooling bed having a skid section and a table section and having an elongated pocket between said sections adapted to receive bars from said skid section, arms extending across said pocket, a shaft having eccentrics on which corresponding ends of said arms are pivoted, and a shaft .journaled beneath said arms and having cranks connected to the other ends of said arms.

12. The method of pack annealing flat bars which do not stand on edge without lateral support, which consists in forming a stack of bars lying on their sides from the first bars coming from the mill, turning succeeding bars on edge successively and feeding them forward step by step while supported by said stack to form a pack standin on edge, withdrawing the stack when said pack has attained a predetermined size and thereafter withdrawing bars from the front side of the pack at substantially the same rate as bars are added at the rear side thereof.

13. A cooling bed for bars which will not stand on edge without lateral support com prising in combination, a table section, means for forming a stack of bars on said table section, the bars of said stack being substantially horizontally disposed and superposed one upon the other, and means for forming a pack of bars standing on edge on said table, said pack being supported during its formation by said stack.

14. The method of pack annealing bars which will not stand on edge without lateral support comprising, forming a stack of bars which rest horizontally upon a support 'and are superposed one upon the other, building up a pack of bars resting on edge by placing said bars on the support in such manner as to be supportedagainst overturning by said stack, and in continuously adding heated bars to one side of the pack thus formed and withdrawing them from the other.

15. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having a depressed portion, or pocket, between said sec tions adapted to receive and form into a stack, a plurality of bars of rectangular cross section which successively slide down said skid section, means independent of the table for raising the stack of bars thus havin establishing on the ta 1e as a preliminary formed out of said pocket to the level of said table section, and means for propelling bars over said table section.

16. A cooling bed comprisin a skid sec tion and a table section an having an elongated depressed portion, or pocket, between said sections adapted to receive bars of rectangular cross section successively sliding down said skid section and to form them into a stack of superposed bars, and means independent of the tableto raise the stack of superposed bars out of said pocket to the level of said table section.

17. A cooling bed for pack annealing bars which will not stand on edge without lateral support comprising, in combination, a table having a bar receiving surface, means for accumulating a plurality of bars as they come from a mill into a stack of horizontally disposed superposed bars and de 'ositing the stack on the table, and means or building up a pack of bars on edge, resting against said stack and intermittentlyadvancing the stack-and pack.

signature.

between said sections, said pocket having a vertically adjustable bottom, and means for intermittentl lowering said bottom as bars are deposited therein, for the purpose of forming a stack of horizontally disposed superposed bars. 1

'20. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having a pocket between said sections, said pocket having a vertically adjustable bottom, and. means for intermittently lowering said bottom as bars are deposited therein, for the purpose of forming a stack of horizontall is osed superposed bars and for therea ter e vat ing the completed stack to the level of the upper surface of the table section.

21. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having a pocket between said sections, said pocket having a. vertically adjustable bottom, means for intermittently lowering said bottom as bars are deposited therein, for the pur ose of forming a stack Of horizontally isposed superposed bars and for thereafter elevating the completed stack to the level of the upper surface of the table section, and laterally recip rocable members for pushing the stack frgm said bottom onto the surface of the ta le.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my GUSTAV LEONARD FISK.

18. A cooling bed for pack annealingbars I which will not stand on edge w'ithout lateral j g, combination, a tableg support comprisip a bar receivin surface, means for step a stack of horizontally dis osed-superposed bars and means for uilding up against said stack a pack of bars standing on edge and intermittently advancing the stack and pack.

19. A cooling bed comprising a skid section and a table section and having a pocket 

